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Dr Jane Loughlin

Profile summary

  • Central Academic Staff
  • Senior Lecturer in Biology
  • Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics
  • School of Life, Health & Chemical Sciences
  • jane.loughlin

Professional biography

I graduated with a degree in Biochemistry from University of Bristol in 1989 and completed a PhD on the role of microglia in multiple sclerosis at the Institute of Neurology (UCL) in 1993. After a series of post-doctoral research positions at the Institute of Neurology, University of Kent and University of Oxford, I joined the Open University in 1999 as a research lecturer and became a senior lecturer in 2005. 

Other roles: LHCS Director of Teaching

 

Research interests

Educational research interests:

  • closing awarding gaps
  • student peer support
  • assessment design

Laboratory research interests:

  • oligodendrocyte and myelin biology
  • CNS demyelinating conditions and neuroinflammation
  • microglial cell biology
  • hypoxia /ischaemia and white matter injury
  • membrane lipid rafts
  • using 3-dimensional tissue culture systems to model complex tissues and cellular organisation
  • 3-dimensional neural cell culture models

Teaching interests

  • Teaching in the areas of biochemistry and cell biology.
  • Use of virtual onscreen experiments to support and enhance laboratory practicals.
  • Accessibility of teaching materials and processes
  • Current modules: S296 (Cell and Molecular Biology)

Research groups

NameTypeParent Unit
Biomedical Research Network (BRN)NetworkFaculty of Science
Neuroscience Research GroupGroupFaculty of Science

 

Externally funded projects

Investigation into the molecular mechanisms underlying idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH)
RoleStart dateEnd dateFunding source
Co-investigator01 Oct 201630 Sep 2019Sheffield Teaching Hospitals

Investigation into the molecular mechanisms underlying idiopathic intracranial hypertension Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is a neurological condition characterized by increased intracranial pressure in the absence of a tumour or other diseases. IIH affects primarily pre-menopausal obese women but the contribution of reproductive hormones and/or obesity to the pathogenesis of this disease is unknown. Indeed, as its name implies, its aetiology remains elusive although a possible role for inflammatory mediators has been suggested. From a physiological point of view, raised intracranial pressure may be the result of increased cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) secretion, decreased CSF drainage or a combination of both factors. The objectives for this project are: Year 1. To determine transcriptomic and microRNA changes in choroid plexus of female control rats and rats fed a high-fat diet and in young and old female rats. Years 2 and 3. First, to establish an in vitro rat model of the blood-CSF barrier and, second, to select candidates from the transcriptomic/microRNA analysis that are differentially regulated and investigate their effects on the secretory and transport activity of rat and/or human choroid plexus epithelium (both cell lines and primary cultures)

Investigation Into The Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH) - Four Months Stipend Payment extension
RoleStart dateEnd dateFunding source
Co-investigator01 Feb 201631 May 2016Sheffield Teaching Hospitals

IIH is a neurological condition characterized by increased intracranial pressure in the absence of a tumor or other diseases but whose cause remains elusive. A possible role for leptin and inflammatory mediators such as CCL2 has been suggested. The objectives for this project are: 1. To determine, the effect of these inflammatory mediators on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) secretion and drainage 2. To determine the role of sex and high-fat diet on CSF secretion and drainage. 3. to establish an in vitro human model of the blood-CSF barrier and to determine , using transcriptomic analysis, the effect of inflammatory mediators on gene profile of cultures of human choroid plexus epithelium . These results may help identify potential therapeutic molecular targets for IIH

Publications

Tissue distribution and cellular localization of gold nanocarriers with bound oligonucleotides (2021-04)
Fatima, Nayab; Akcan, Ugur; Kaya, Mehmet; Gromnicova, Radka; Loughlin, Jane; Sharrack, Basil and Male, David
Nanomedicine, 16(9) (pp. 709-720)

Microscopic biophysical model of self-organization in tissue due to feedback between cell- and macroscopic-scale forces (2020-12)
Hague, J. P.; Mieczkowski, P. W.; O'Rourke, C.; Loughlin, A. J. and Phillips, J. B.
Physical Review Research, 2, Article 43217(4)

Cerebrospinal fluid dynamics modulation by diet and cytokines in rats. (2020-02-10)
Alimajstorovic, Zerin; Pascual-Baixauli, Ester; Hawkes, Cheryl A.; Sharrack, Basil; Loughlin, A. Jane; Romero, Ignacio A. and Preston, Jane E.
Fluids and barriers of the CNS, 17, Article 10 (2020)

Gold nanocarriers for transport of oligonucleotides across brain endothelial cells (2020)
Fatima, Nayab; Gromnicova, Radka; Loughlin, Jane; Sharrack, Basil and Male, David
PLOS ONE, 15, Article e0236611(9)

Adapting tissue-engineered in vitro CNS models for high-throughput study of neurodegeneration (2017-01-01)
O’Rourke, Caitriona; Lee-Reeves, Charlotte; Drake, Rosemary AL; Cameron, Grant WW; Loughlin, A Jane and Phillips, James B
Journal of Tissue Engineering, 8 (pp. 1-9)

Optimising contraction and alignment of cellular collagen hydrogels to achieve reliable and consistent engineered anisotropic tissue (2015-11)
O'Rourke, Caitriona; Drake, Rosemary A. L.; Cameron, Grant W. W.; Loughlin, A. Jane and Phillips, James B.
Journal of Biomaterials Applications, 30(5) (pp. 599-607)

Engineered neural tissue with aligned, differentiated adipose-derived stem cells promotes peripheral nerve regeneration across a critical sized defect in rat sciatic nerve. (2015-01-31)
Georgiou, Melanie; Golding, Jon P.; Loughlin, Alison J.; Kingham, Paul J. and Phillips, James B.
Biomaterials, 37 (pp. 242-251)

A 3D in vitro model reveals differences in the astrocyte response elicited by potential stem cell therapies for CNS injury. (2013-11-01)
East, Emma; Johns, Noémie; Georgiou, Melanie; Golding, Jon P.; Loughlin, A. Jane; Kingham, Paul J. and Phillips, James B.
Regenerative Medicine, 8(6) (pp. 739-746)

Engineered neural tissue for peripheral nerve repair (2013-10-01)
Georgiou, Melanie; Bunting, Stephen C. J.; Davies, Heather A.; Loughlin, Alison J.; Golding, Jonathan P. and Phillips, James B.
Biomaterials, 34(30) (pp. 7335-7343)

Fuelling an immune response: an ultrastructural study of immune-stimulated lymph nodes (2013-03)
Daya, Sandeep; Davies, Heather; Colyer, Frances; Tuffnell, Joshua; Loughlin, Jane and MacQueen, Hilary
Applied Cell Biology, 2(1)

Polarized P-glycoprotein expression by the immortalised human brain endothelial cell line, hCMEC/D3, restricts apical-to-basolateral permeability to rhodamine 123 (2009-09-23)
Tai, Leon M.; Reddy, P. Sreekanth; Lopez-Ramirez, M. Alejandro; Davies, Heather A.; Male, A. David K.; Loughlin, A. Jane and Romero, Ignacio A.
Brain Research, 1292 (pp. 14-24)

P-glycoprotein and breast cancer resistance protein restrict apical-to-basolateral permeability of human brain endothelium to amyloid-β (2009-06)
Tai, Leon M.; Loughlin, A. Jane; Male, David K. and Romero, Ignacio A.
Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism, 29(6) (pp. 1079-1083)

Developing a 3D culture model of CNS myelination (2009)
Loughlin, Jane; East, Emma; Golding, Jon and Phillips, James
Glia, 57(S13) (S119)

Chemokine production and chemokine receptor expression by human glioma cells: Role of CXCL10 in tumour cell proliferation (2008-08)
Maru, Seema V.; Holloway, Karen A.; Flynn, Geraldine; Lancashire, Christine L.; Loughlin, A. Jane; Male, David K. and Romero, Ignacio A.
Journal of Neuroimmunology, 199(1-2) (pp. 35-45)

Culture and differentiation of preadipocytes in two-dimensional and three-dimensional in vitro systems (2007-06)
Daya, Sandeep; Loughlin, Alison J. and MacQueen, Hilary A.
Differentiation, 75(5) (pp. 360-370)

Regulation of chemokine receptor expression in human microglia and astrocytes (2003-03)
Flynn, Geraldine; Maru, Seema; Loughlin, Jane; Romero, Ignacio A. and Male, David
Journal of Neuroimmunology, 136(1-2) (pp. 84-93)

Characterization of the Mammalian Initiation Factor eIF2B Complex as a GDP Dissociation Stimulator Protein (2001-07-06)
Williams, Daniel D.; Price, Nigel T.; Loughlin, A. Jane and Proud, Christopher G.
Journal of Biological Chemistry, 276(27) (pp. 24697-24703)

Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5 (eIF5) acts as a classical GTPase-activator protein (2001-01-09)
Paulin, Fiona E.M.; Campbell, Linda E.; O'Brien, Kirsty; Loughlin, Jane and Proud, Christopher G.
Current Biology, 11(1) (pp. 55-59)

Regulation of eukaryotic initiation factor eIF2B: glycogen synthase kinase-3 phosphorylates a conserved serine which undergoes dephosphorylation in response to insulin (1998-01-09)
Welsh, Gavin I.; Miller, Christa M.; Loughlin, Jane A.; Price, Nigel T. and Proud, Christopher G.
FEBS Letters, 421(2) (pp. 125-130)

Myelination and remyelination of aggregate rat brain cell cultures enriched with macrophages (1997-02-15)
Loughlin, A. J.; Copelman, C. A.; Hall, A.; Armer, T.; Young, B. C.; Landon, D. N. and Cuzner, M. L.
Journal of neuroscience research, 47(4) (pp. 384-392)

The expression of tissue-type plasminogen activator, matrix metalloproteases and endogenous inhibitors in the central nervous system in multiple sclerosis: comparison of stages in lesion evolution (1996-12)
Cuzner, M. L.; Gveric, D.; Strand, C.; Loughlin, Jane; Paemen, L.; Opdenakker, G. and Newcombe, J.
Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology, 55(12) (pp. 1194-1204)

Inhibitory effect of interferon-gamma on LPS-induced interleukin 1 beta production by isolated adult rat brain microglia (1996-07)
Loughlin, A. J. and Woodroofe, M. N.
Neurochemistry International, 29(1) (pp. 77-82)

Myelin basic protein content of aggregating rat brain cell cultures treated with cytokines and/or demyelinating antibody: effects of macrophage enrichment (1994-04-01)
Loughlin, A. J.; Woodroofe, M. N.; Cuzner, M. L.; Honegger, P.; Comte, V. and Matthieu, J. M.
Journal of neuroscience research, 37(5) (pp. 647-653)

The role of microglia macrophages in the processes of inflammatory demyelination and remyelination (1994-04)
Cuzner, M. L.; Loughlin, A. J.; Mosley, K. and Woodroofe, M. N.
Neuropathology and Applied Neurobiology, 20(2) (pp. 200-201)

Modulation of interferon-gamma-induced major histocompatibility complex class II and Fc receptor expression on isolated microglia by transforming growth factor-beta 1, interleukin-4, noradrenaline and glucocorticoids (1993-05)
Loughlin, A. J.; Woodroofe, M. N. and Cuzner, M. L.
Immunology, 79(1) (pp. 125-130)

Regulation of Fc receptor and major histocompatibility complex antigen expression on isolated rat microglia by tumour necrosis factor, interleukin-1 and lipopolysaccharide: effects on interferon-gamma induced activation (1992-01)
Loughlin, A. J.; Woodroofe, M. N. and Cuzner, M. L.
Immunology, 75(1) (pp. 170-175)

Detection of interleukin-1 and interleukin-6 in adult rat brain, following mechanical injury, by in vivo microdialysis: evidence of a role for microglia in cytokine production (1991-09)
Woodroofe, M. N.; Sarna, G. S.; Wadhwa, M.; Hayes, G. M.; Loughlin, A. J.; Tinker, A. and Cuzner, M. L.
Journal of neuroimmunology, 33(3) (pp. 227-236)

Adapting aligned, stabilised 3D tissues for large-scale neurobiological research (2014-07)
O'Rourke, Caitriona; Drake, Rosemary; Loughlin, Jane and Phillips, James
In : Tissue and Cell Engineering Society Annual Conference 2014 (2-4 Jul 2014, Newcastle) (p 29)

Development of stabilised aligned CNS co-culture technology to model the behaviour of a range of neural cell types (2014-06)
O'Rourke, Caitriona; Loughlin, Jane; Drake, Rosemary and Phillips, James
In : 3D Cell Culture 2014 (25-27 Jun 2014, Freiburg Germany)

Adipocytes: a role in immunological memory? (2013-12)
Daya, Sandeep; Davies, Heather; Colyer, Frances; Tuffnell, Joshua; Loughlin, Jane and MacQueen, Hilary
In : 40th UK Adipose Tissue Discussion Group and BHF Centre for Research Excellence Adipose Tissue Workshop (12-13 Dec 2013, Edinburgh, UK)

Adapting aligned stabilised hydrogels to facilitate large scale drug screening and neurobiological research. (2013-09)
O'Rourke, Caitriona; Drake, Rosemary; Loughlin, Jane and Phillips, James
In : Future Investigators Of Regenerative Medicine Symposium (30 Sep - 03 Oct 2013, Platja d'Aro, Spain)

Fabrication of an endoneurium using engineered neural tissue within a peripheral nerve repair conduit (2013-06)
Georgiou, Melanie; Golding, Jon; Loughlin, Jane and Phillips, James
In : Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society - EU Meeting (17-20 Jun 2013, Istanbul, Turkey)

A multi-well plate model of reactive gliosis for high throughput screening of potential CNS therapies (2013-04)
O'Rourke, Caitriona; Loughlin, A. J.; Drake, Rosemary and Phillips, J. B.
In : BNA Festival of Neuroscience (07-10 Apr 2013, London)

Stabilisation of hydrogels containing neural cells to form CNS tissue models for monitoring neuronal and glial cell behaviour in vitro (2012-10)
O'Rourke, C.; Loughlin, J.; Drake, R. and Phillips, J. B.
In : Neuroscience 2012 (13-17 Oct 2012, New Orleans)

A living replacement tissue for peripheral nerve that can enhance regeneration in vitro and in vivo (2012-09)
Georgiou, Melanie; Bunting, Stephen; Golding, Jon; Loughlin, Jane and Phillips, James
In : Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society - World Congress 2012 (5-8 Sep 2012, Vienna, Austria)

A nerve repair conduit containing differentiated adipose-derived stem cells within engineered neural tissue can support and guide neuronal growth in vitro and in vivo (2012-09)
Georgiou, Melanie; Kingham, Paul; Bunting, Stephen; Golding, Jon; Loughlin, Jane and Phillips, James
In : Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society - World Congress 2012 (5-8 Sep 2012, Vienna, Austria)

Optimising glial cell alignment in 3D culture to facilitate the development of neural tissue models for CNS research (2012-09)
O'Rourke, Caitriona; Loughlin, Jane; Drake, Rosemary and Phillips, James
In : Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society - World Congress 2012 (5-8 Sep 2012, Austria, Vienna)

Developing a 3D co-culture model to simulate perinatal hypoxic-ischaemic brain injury in preterm infants (2012-07)
Osei, E. T.; Evans, L.; Phillips, J. B. and Loughlin, A. J.
In : Annual meeting of the Tissue and Cell Engineering Society (TCES) (4-6 Jul 2012, Liverpool, UK)

Astrocytes expressing GFP in 3D collagen gels provide an effective model for screening the glial response to potential CNS cell therapies (2012-07)
Johns, N.; East, E.; Golding, J. P.; Loughlin, A. J. and Phillips, J. B.
In : Annual meeting of the Tissue and Cell Engineering Society (TCES) (4-6 Jul 2012, Liverpool, UK)

Defining glial cell self-alignment parameters for 3D CNS tissue models (2012-07)
O'Rourke, C. M.; Loughlin, A. J.; Drake, R. and Phillips, J. B.
In : Annual meeting of the Tissue and Cell Engineering Society (TCES) (4-6 Jul 2012, Liverpool, UK)

Engineered neural tissue with aligned Schwann cells supports neuronal regeneration in vivo and can be assembled using differentiated adipose-derived stem cells (2012-07)
Georgiou, M.; Loughlin, J.; Golding, J. P.; Kingham, P. J. and Phillips, J. B.
In : Annual meeting of the Tissue and Cell Engineering Society (TCES) (4-6 Jul 2012, Liverpool, UK)

Engineered neural tissue with columns of aligned Schwann cell-like cells from differentiated adipose-derived stem cells can support and guide neuronal growth in vitro (2012-04)
Georgiou, Melanie; Kingham, Paul; Golding, Jon; Loughlin, Jane and Phillips, James
In : 3rd International Conference on Stem Cell Engineering "Designing Cellular Therapies" (29 Apr - 02 May 2012, Seattle, US)

Monitoring glial cell behaviour and neuron-glial interactions in 3D hydrogel and aggregate culture systems (2011-09)
Phillips, J. and Loughlin, J.
In : 10th European Meeting on Glial Cells in Health and Disease (13-17 Sep 2011, Prague, Czech Republic)

Aligned Schwann cells within 3D tissue-like gels provide guidance to regenerating neurites (2011-09)
Georgiou, M.; East, E.; Loughlin, J.; Golding, J. and Phillips, J.
In : 10th European Meeting on Glial Cells in Health and Disease (13-17 Sep 2011, Prague, Czech Republic)

Aligned cellular and acellular collagen guidance substrates for peripheral nerve repair (2011-07)
Georgiou, Melanie; Loughlin, Jane; Golding, Jon and Phillips, James
In : Tissue and Cell Engineering Society (19-21 Jul 2011, Leeds)

A tissue engineered collagen conduit containing columns of aligned Schwann cells supports neuronal regeneration in vitro (2011)
Georgiou, M.; East, E.; Loughlin, A. J.; Golding, J. P. and Phillips, J. B.
In : 2011 PNS Biennial Meeting of the Peripheral Nerve Society (25-29 Jun 2011, Potomac, Maryland, US)

Schwann cells in collagen gels survive plastic compression and maintain their alignment: development of a cellular biomaterial for peripheral nerve repair (2010-07)
Georgiou, M.; East, E.; Loughlin, J.; Golding, J.P. and Phillips, J.B.
In : Tissue and Cell Engineering Society (28-30 Jul, Manchester, U.K.)

Plastic compression of aligned cellular collagen gels for nervous system repair (2010-06)
East, E.; Georgiou, M.; Loughlin, A.J.; Golding, J.P. and Phillips, J.B.
In : Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society - EU Meeting (13-17 Jun, Galway, Ireland)

Three-dimensional adipocyte cultures and co-cultures to study tissue interactions (2009-04-02)
Daya, Sandeep; Loughlin, Jane and MacQueen, Hilary
In : NC3Rs/BBSRC Symposium Tissue Engineering: a new dimension to animal replacement (2-3 Apr 2009, Royal College of Surgeons, London UK)

Development of a 3D coculture system to study adipocyte and lymph node cell interactions (2006-07)
Daya, S.; Loughlin, J. and MacQueen, H.
In : Tissue and cell engineering systems meeting 2006 (3-4 Jul 2006, Sheffield, UK)

Development of a three-dimensional co-culture system to study adipocyte and lymph node cell interactions (2005)
Daya, Sandeep; Loughlin, Jane and MacQueen, Hilary
In : British Society for Immunology Winter meeting 2005 (6-9 Dec 2005, Harrogate, UK)

Three-dimensional cell culture (2007)
MacQueen, Hilary; Loughlin, Jane and Daya, Sandeep